sexism in beer
from my beer column on cbc radio one's on the coast with stephen quinn yesterday:
It is getting harder and harder to find unique beer
names. As more breweries and beers enter
the market, more names are trademarked and no longer available for use. Amidst all the ‘cease and desist’ letters
flying around, there may be another controversy brewing.
Is beer
becoming a soap opera? And so are the
suds of our lives... It does seem
like it sometimes! While any service
industry would make for a good soap opera setting, I think what’s happening in
the beer industry is just good old fashioned growing pains, though.
Brewers and beer marketers love a good beer pun. But with so many beers needing names, there
is a shortage of not-yet-trademarked puns left out there. If you can’t be punny, then how about
edgy? Sometimes breweries are going past
edgy though, and into the land of offensive names. I would give some examples, but I’m afraid
you might find them offensive! Seriously
though, the types of names giving rise to most complaints are the sexist ones. Just google “sexist beer names” and you’ll
see why I couldn’t say them on the air. See also Thrillist for their top 13 from 2013.
Beer is a
collaborative and friendly industry, but it is still a male-dominated
one. Craft beer may be light years ahead of mainstream beer in terms of inclusivity, but it still suffers from gender inequality and sexism. Mainstream beer markets to men, and their ads
tend to involve scantily clad women.
Craft beer doesn’t have the same big budget for advertising as
mainstream beer does, so where craft beer is not doing right by us all is in the
naming of their beers and the label artwork they’re choosing.
None of the beer names or labels that make the lists of
most offensive are from BC. But that
doesn’t mean local breweries can’t improve their inclusivity. All BC beer names and labels have to pass through the Liquor Distribution Branch before hitting store shelves. While I can't think of any offensive names or labels that have managed to sneak through, there are some sexist names and labels out there. Remember Lighthouse's Siren label from back in 2013? And what about Central City’s Red Racer Girl? That very
long-legged woman in garters, coasting on a bike. Is she offensive? I wouldn’t go that far, but in my
opinion she is overly-sexualized. Why is
that necessary to sell beer? And if you
have to try three times to get your labels past the LDB,
there’s no way you aren’t aware they’re going to upset some people.
I
like to think that the craft beer industry is above going for the low-hanging
fruit. Even with the increased
competition for beer names, it is an active choice to go the sexist route. With the number of women drinking craft beer
rising quickly, and competition for their beer dollars increasing, it is a
choice that could cost breweries a significant customer base.
The American
Brewer’s Association, in a policy that is more bark
than bite, have said they won’t announce winners with offensive
names at their competitions. If the Brewer’s Association’s independent
outside review panel deems a winner’s name offensive, the winning name will not
be announced at the awards ceremony, the winner will not be allowed to mention
that win in their marketing, and a report will be issued on the Brewers
Association website. President and CEO
Bob Pease says “We want our members to be responsible corporate citizens.” Program Director Julia Hertz says that every
brewery has the right to name and market their beers as they want. “Our hope is that they do it true to the
values and integrity that the craft beer community should aspire to.”
It appears to be a compromise position between banning
beers and condoning offensive names, but I think it is a step in the right
direction. The Brewers Association is a
trade organization that hosts two annual contests, the World Beer Cup and the
Great American Beer Festival. While
their policy will only affect their own membership, they are an important
organization in the beer industry and this decision may well start
conversations about what constitutes an offensive name and why the craft beer
industry needs to hold itself to high standards.
The issue has reached beer publishing as well. All About Beer magazine made a stand earlier
this year that “Beers that demean women or promote rape culture will not be
reviewed or promoted in this magazine or on AllAboutBeer.com.” Editor John Holl says. “We will not be quiet
about this important issue.”
Alas, I don’t think
the BA policy will cause the Brewers Association of Canada or Beer Canada to
adopt a similar one. Those organizations
only represent the few breweries who brew most of the beer in Canada and I
don’t foresee them changing their marketing practices any time soon.
I asked the BC Beer Awards folks if they were considering
adopting a similar policy. I was told
that they did meet on the subject, but are not going to draft a policy. Director Chester Carey told me, "The liquor control board is pretty strict about what products they register already so we don't really anticipate having to make a call ourselves. If something got by them that was by consensus "explicit, lewd, or demeaning" we wouldn't publish that material but could still recognize the brewery for the liquid produced, which has always been our focus."
Similarly the BC Craft Brewers Guild has no plans to
adopt a policy. According to Executive
Director Ken Beattie the guild has “never had a complaint brought to our
attention concerning offensive beer names in BC.”
So it’s business as usual around here. I do think that each organization that makes
a stand will get more people in craft beer talking, though. Talking about their responsibilities to each
other and their consumers, and how to be inclusive and welcoming to all beer
drinkers.
Beer Picks:
Let’s go summery – I hope there’s no controversy about
that – with two new summer ales and an old favourite!
Steamworks Summer Ale – for the first time, Steamworks
Brewing has produced a summer ale. Very
orange zesty, it is an easy-drinking 4.8% wheat ale. Bright citrus and fruity hops, joined by
grains of paradise for a little spice.
Available on tap at Steamworks, and in tall cans (473ml) – both on their
own in 4 packs and as part of the Summer Mash-up sampler pack. Speaking of beer labels – I really love the
sun on these cans! It’s gorgeous!
Granville Island has come out with a summer ale as well. You may remember back to the days when there were
Winter and Summer Solstice Ales from GIB.
Nowadays they’re called The Lions.
Lions Winter Ale has been around for a while, and is now joined by the
Lions Summer Ale. Weighing in at 4.7%,
this one is easy-drinking and refreshing.
Tropical fruit and biscuity malts, with a slightly tart finish. Available in cans and bottles and at the
taproom on Granville Island.
Bomber Brewing’s super popular Park Life passionfruit ale
is back! I call it an old favourite, but
it’s only 3 years old! This is an
American blonde ale infused with passionfruit juice. It is crisp and tart, and totally tropical! Sweet and sour balance each other on top of
this summer ale that still manages to taste like a beer (as opposed to a radler).
4.5% Available on tap at the tasting room and in 6 packs of cans.
some reading:
bensbeerblog: Let’s talk about sexist beer marketing
allaboutbeer.com: Taking
A Stand Against Sexist Beers
Comments
Post a Comment